Anchor: A new poll conducted by KBS has found that 46 percent of voters favor Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung. While Lee is widely considered a front-runner among the mix of conservative and liberal contenders running in this year’s race, his retrial under the nation’s election law and public sentiment surrounding his legal woes continue to weigh on his campaign.
Rosyn Park has this report.

Report: One-thousand respondents nationwide were asked who would get their vote if the election were held the next day. 

Forty-six percent picked Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party, while People Power Party candidate Kim Moon-soo came in second at 31 percent, followed by Lee Jun-seok of the minor New Reform Party at eight percent, according to the latest KBS poll, conducted by Hankook Research from Tuesday to Thursday.

It also found that 53 percent of respondents prefer a candidate from the liberal camp, while 36-point-two percent favor a candidate from the conservative camp.

When asked to name the most important factors in their decision, 39 percent cited a candidate’s competence and experience, with ideology, campaign pledges and moral fitness cited as other leading factors. 

Only six percent mentioned party affiliation and two percent cited electability, according to the poll, which had a 95 percent confidence level with a margin of error of plus or minus three-point-one percentage points.

The results of another KBS poll, released Friday, found that 60 percent of people believe an accused person should stand trial even if they are elected president.

This comes as the Democratic Party is trying to amend the Criminal Procedure Act to suspend all criminal trials for a newly elected president, who could potentially be Lee Jae-myung. 

Meanwhile, 37 percent said trials for a newly elected president should be suspended. 

The survey also showed that a majority of people believe achieving an economic recovery and economic stability are the most urgent tasks for whoever becomes the next president.

The survey of one-thousand adults nationwide, commissioned by KBS and conducted by Hankook Research from Tuesday to Thursday, had a 95 percent confidence level with a margin of error of plus or minus three-point-one percentage points.
Rosyn Park, KBS World Radio News.